Subject To Change
by pigeonstatuecondundrum
Summary: Jack decides to take the team out on a recreation to the Lazar Arena, Little does he know danger lurks for them.
1. I

I Own nothing, apart from the storyline.

Janto (because it makes life that little bit sweeter) and Towen (a little bit of spice)

My first ever piece of Fanfiction and I'm proud of it. Please, PLEASE comment.)

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**Subject To Change**

It hasn't got a name so any ideas would be great. Just a random story that takes place between Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang and Sleeper. The characters don't belong to me (and never will do) so all rights reserved by the BBC. This was only written as a bit of fun as it's my first published piece of fan fiction, if anyone is made enough to read it comments would be nice.

"You're joking, right!" Gwen grinned "Don't you guys get enough of running around with guns at work?"

"What do you think?" Jack replied finishing the last of his drink.

The team were at the local lazar arena for a recreational. Jack had surprised them with the idea on his second day back. Gwen realized this must be a rare treat for the rest of her friends.

"The great thing about this is," Toshiko added from where she was sitting with Owen "is that it comes under training!"

"So, Torchwood pays." Owen explained with relish chewing his burger.

"How is running round a darkened room training?" Gwen argued.

Owen and Toshiko fixed Gwen with an icy look.

"We take it seriously" Jack said gravely, but his lip quivered to show his amusement.

...

"Team name?" the bored teenager on the desk asked the five of them.

"Torchwood." Jack drawled

"So much for national security." Gwen murmured to Ianto, raising a smile on his usually impassive face.

"How many games do we play?" she asked Torchwood's receptionist.

"Two against whoever else turns up, have you played before?" he answered

"No" Gwen confessed, blushing slightly.

Ianto smiled again, "Just shoot the other team and don't, whatever you do, wind up Tosh and Owen."

Gwen glanced at the doctor and the technician, they were arguing good naturedly.

"They seem to take this so seriously." Gwen muttered.

"That's true; they're always trashing each others top scores and patience." Jack joined the conversation with a grin.

Their opponents sized them up, Gwen wondered what they saw. An American who'd stepped out the '20's. A sandy haired man, with a face as determined as his leather jacket. A pretty Japanese woman, with attractive elfin eyes, taking it all in. A smart dressed man who looked like he'd come in the wrong room. Oh, and her. They must think this would be a push over, like shooting the proverbial fish in a proverbial barrel.

"Hey, you guys." They sneered "some advise the exits that way." They laughed raucously.

"They won't be laughing after 15 minutes with us." Tosh murmured grimly to Owen.

"They'll be begging for mercy." He promised, zipping his jacket tighter around him. Gwen realized, with a jolt, that they weren't joking. Ianto tipped her a wink, apparently amused by her bemused expression.

"Welcome to Torchwood."

...

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PLEASE PLEASE coment. There be more Janto If you read on, promise.

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	2. II

Hopefully You've read on coz you liked prt I. THANK You.

Suject To Change II

It hasn't got a name so any ideas would be great. Just a random story that takes place between Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang and Sleeper. The characters don't belong to me (and never will do) so all rights reserved by the BBC. This was only written as a bit of fun as it's my first published piece of fan fiction, if anyone is made enough to read it comments would be nice.

...

They entered the darkened arena; Gwen felt a surge of adrenalin and the giggles.

"Same tactics as last time." Jack said taking charge at once.

"Tosh, Owen, you know what to do."

They nodded and went off into the darkness together.

"Mr. Jones, Miss Cooper, if you would." He gestured for them to follow him.

The three of them hid in between some barrels.

"You mean you actually have a game plan," Gwen whispered to her captain "I thought this was meant to be fun!"

"It is!" he hissed back indignantly.

"So we wait?"

Jack nodded softly "Tosh and Owen drive them towards us, we shoot, and we win."

Gwen heard the shouts and swears, muffled as Owen and Toshiko went to work.

"How comes they're so good?!" She asked admiringly.

"Owen grew up doing this stuff; you've seen him the arcade, right." Jack replied.

"But it would surprise you to know that our Toshiko worked as a marshal at her local Lazar Rush as extra income as a student." Ianto added from where he was standing as lookout.

"Really!" Gwen muttered, surprised.

"They're great alone but it takes someone like me to get them to work together." Jack explained with his usual cocksure swagger.

"You leave us all and as soon as you come back you're as arrogant as ever." Gwen told him. Before Jack could retort, two of their rivals appeared.

Out of breath, one of them gasped "That Japanese one's a bloody devil!"

"Language." Gwen admonished, springing up from her hiding place and shooting them down. Jack and Ianto also popped up like rabbits out of burrows. With a whoop the two men gave chase.

...

Despite herself, Gwen enjoyed herself. They all had the advantage of being able to handle real fire arms, as well as doing this sort of thing every day. Owen and Tosh's enthusiasm was hard not to get caught up in.

Ianto got rid of the man who was trying to shoot at Jacks rear sensors.

"Do I always have to watch your back sir?" Ianto complained.

"It's not my back you've got to watch." Jack flirted.

Not all their energy was concentrated in the first game. By the next game they were geared up. This last game was against a group of five teenage boys, and not unexpectedly Team Torchwood was wining. Even though, Gwen had to acknowledge they were good.

"Nah," Owen said when she told him this "A load of chavs aren't anything. I could beat this lot with one hand behind my back." He boasted.

"Why don't you then?" Toshiko challenged from where she was holding her own against two of the boys.

"I will, but only for you sweet cheeks."

Owen grasped the lazar gun in one hand and carried on. He amazed the other team with his skill, forcing them back. A large smirk plastered across his face. Gwen recognized the same moves Jack had taught her in the firing range last year.

Owen pretended to blow imaginary smoke from the top of his rifle.

"Piece of cake." He winked at Tosh.

"Oh God hark at you, John Wayne will be turning in his grave." Toshiko rolled her eyes, but impressed in spite of herself, a small blush spreading across her face.

Suddenly the whole arena shook like an earthquake.

"What's happening?" one of the boys asked, the game forgotten. Jack and Ianto joint the rest of the team.

"Jack?" Gwen asked "Do you know…….."

He shook his head emphatically, "Come on, lets take a look."

They followed Jack towards the place the rumble had come from. Gwen realized that this wasn't the first jolly that had been ruined. Gwen wished she'd stayed in the police, but not for long.

A boy's panicked scream reached the air. The team ran, following the noise. Turning a sharp corner they were confronted by a boy's body lying mangled on the floor, the red of his blood contrasting with the black of the ground.


	3. III

"Hey Ho, Lets Go..."

Subject To Change III

The smells of burnt flesh nearly made Gwen throw her burger up, but Owen, unperturbed, squatted down to study the body.

"He's been electrocuted," he gave his analysis calmly to Jack "Short range lazar rifle, a real one I mean."

Jack nodded.

"Looks like," Owen continued looking inside the corpse's jacket "the blast hit his phone, added to the current."

"That's horrible!" Gwen cried sadly, joining the doctor next to the cadaver.

"Yeah, it was the top of the range model and all." He picked up the charred remains gingerly.

"That's not what I meant Owen, and you know it." Gwen snapped.

"Whatever did it still out there" Jack brought them back to the situation before Gwen and Owen spiralled into one of their arguments.

"I saw it." A voice whimpered "It killed Jamie."

They whirled round to see a frightened boy, no more than fifteen cowering in the shadows. Gwen moved to him and put her arm round the scared teenager. It comported Jack that Gwen could still be so empathetic, even after all she'd been through in her brief time with Torchwood.

"What did you see?"

The boy was literally petrified; Gwen could feel him shaking in fear through her jacket. "It came out of that corner," his hand shook as he pointed to a darkened region of the game arena.

"It was jet black, huge teeth. Oh God!" he sobbed into Gwen's shoulder. "It killed him, there's so much blood!"

Toshiko went into the corner the lad had indicated.

"Jack." She called "Have a look at this."

He went over to her and cautiously picked up the spherical object that had been secreted in the gloom. It glittered menacing in the dark. It was made of some metal like substance that Gwen had never seen before. With its crack down the middle it reminded her of an egg after the chick has hatched.

"What is it?" she asked not daring to think that for once it would be a good thing.

"It's a hatching pod; the creatures that came out of it caused the tremor that we just felt when it emerged."

"For it to cause those wounds it would have to be enormous," Owen argued "How could it come from something that small?"

Jack sighed in the world weary way only he could "It's an Incarian, when a spawn hatches they immediately adapt to their surroundings, put it later somewhere else they adapt again."

Jack turned to the boy who was still quivering in Gwen's arms. "Did it have some sort of guns on its body?"

The boy was still shocked by the experience, he held onto Gwen like she was the last woman in the world. Gwen gave Jack a dirty look, for someone so dashing he could be so heartless.

"Its okay sweetie," she soothed "Where going to stop the creature that killed your friend, help us."

He turned his tear stained face up to Gwen and nodded.

"What's your name?" Jack adopted Gwen's gentle tone.

"Danny Mclean"

"Okay Danny Boy, what did it look like?" Jack inquired.

Danny took a gulp of air "It did have guns on its arms," he gestured to his own laying abandoned on the floor "But it looked like it was wearing a game pack."

"Makes sense," Ianto spoke for the first time "If it adapted to its surroundings and the fist thing it saw were the two boys that was what it modified its self on."

Jack nodded in agreement with Ianto's thesis.

"What happened next?"

"Well Jamie shot at it, thinking it was one of you guys. And it howled and attacked him and……." He trailed off as his eyes rested on the body of his friend, Gwen hugged him reassuringly "You've been very brave."

"Tosh, I want you to seal this place off. Get Danny and his mates out." Jack ordered.

"You're going to lock us in with this thing!?" Owen gasped "Have you got a death wish?" He regretted what he'd said immediately, Gwen could tell. They'd all seen Jack comeback from the dead, Owen had been the one that had shot him.

"Just do it." Jack snapped, turning his back to them and walking away. The Torchwood team shared worried looks and bit lips.

"Whoops." Owen muttered. Gwen and Toshiko raised their eyebrows.

"God, we've got so used to working under you, Gwen." Owen tried to justify his action. "I forget Jack won't stand my rubbish."

Toshiko smiled kindly at him.

"You berk." Her hand rested lightly on his arm before going off to help Jack seal the place off.

"She likes me." He grinned, swaggering slightly as he headed after her.

"In his dreams." Ianto said to Gwen, cheering her up.


	4. IV

Subject To Change IV

"Sorry pal." Jack snarled at the guy duty "Give your superiors the name Torchwood and they'll change there tune."

"Playing nice?" Gwen asked Jack. He gave her a don't-mess-with-me-I'm-in-charge look.

Gwen felt someone touch her arm. Danny was trying to get her attention.

"Miss…"

"It's Gwen Cooper." She told him.

"Will you be alright?" he asked, this young boys concern touched her. She gave him a large smile.

"I do this sort of thing all the time." Gwen admitted.

"Then who are you guys?"

"If I got a penny every time I got asked that I'd be rich." She tried to joke.

"Seriously, who are you?"

Gwen sighed, hating the never ending secrets she had to keep. She felt like a bottle being filled with water, and some day she was going to overflow.

"We're the good guys," She explained rather lamely." We protect you people from the stuff in the darkness, but you don't see us."

Gwen shrugged hoping her explanation was adequate.

"What, you're the Men in Black!" Danny laughed.

"No." Jack interrupted "We're better looking in suits."

Danny looked at the Captain like he'd grown another head.

"Well, Ianto does." Jack winked at Ianto.

Ianto rolled his eyes at Jacks comment.

"You'd better go." Gwen told Danny softly.

"Thank you." He replied before running out the door to safety.

"Playing nice." Jack echoed Gwen's words with a smile.

"Yes."

A set of steel shutters come down. Gwen realized the gravity of the situation.

"Tell me you've got a plan." She implored Jack.

"Of course."

"Weapons?" Owen added ever practical.

"You're wearing them." Jack said.

"Fat lot of good these are!" Owen snapped pointing at his game pack with disgust.

"Hang on," Gwen interrupted "Danny said the creature howled when shot by these."

Jack gave his second in command a big grin "Gold Star for Miss Cooper."

"I thank you." Gwen giggled.

"We're shooting to kill?" Ianto's question hung in the air like a bad smell.

"We have to." Jack stated "If that thing gets out we might as well give up."

"And we're using these!" Owen still hadn't grasped that Jack wasn't joking about the lazars.

"Yes, Owen."

"Bloody hell." Owen swore.

"I've got CCTV for inside the arena here." Toshiko showed them the screen of her PDA.

"Good work Tosh." She blushed prettily at her boss's praise. "Okay that should make Inni easier to find."

"Um, Inni?" Gwen queried.

"What, it's better than 'it'." Jack said indignantly "That soon gets boring. And I end up thinking we're talking about Owen."

"Watch it." Owen warned.

"I've modified the guns." Ianto passed them all Lazar rifles. "Separate from the pack it'll be easier to use."

Jack beamed "I could kiss you, Ianto."

"Time and place sir."

But with his back to Jack, Gwen could see Ianto wasn't adverse to the idea at all. "But If you're really..."

"Okay team, let's move out." Gwen directed with a smile.

"Inni's near the stairwell on the first level." Tosh added to Jack.

He nodded "Right, we need to get it into a corner. So….."

"Your acting like this is still part of the game." Gwen commented dryly.

"Well it's not." Jack retorted before moving on like nothing had happened.

"Owen, you and Ianto get it up to the second level, Tosh if you could direct them." The three nodded.

"Keep in contact with me and Gwen." He motioned to his Bluetooth headpiece. "We'll come from behind it down from the third floor, look after yourselves." He told them. Gwen watched as they merged into the darkness, towards the beast.


	5. V

Subject To Change V 

Waiting on the top floor Gwen considered Jack. He'd disappeared and reappeared as if nothing had happened. Gwen felt she knew nothing about him. Toshiko and Owen had worked with Jack longer than her and they felt as clueless.

Even Ianto, who was the first person Jack saw in the morning and the last at night, claimed ignorance and would get affronted if you suggested he was closer to Jack than the rest of them. This whole situation with the Incarian hadn't fazed the Captain at all, as if he knew this was going to happen.

"It's rude to stare." Jack reproached her gently.

"A Cooper can look at a Captain!" she joked.

"What's the matter?" he asked his Second in Command.

"Nothing." Gwen lied turning away so she wouldn't have to look at him "No, tell me." Jack replied "Don't you trust me any more Gwen Cooper."

Gwen sighed "Did you know? About the creature I mean."

"Of course not!" Jack cried exasperatedly, his indigence made Gwen ashamed for shoulder.

"What monster do you think I've turned into?" Jack said tenderly "What did I do?"

She glanced up at his face, his whole demur was pleading and imploring.

"Sorry, It's just I'm not sure I know anymore. No one knows where you've been or done. You keep us in the dark so much I wonder what were fighting for."

Jack looked her steadily in the eye. The cold grey met the gentle green.

"I'm sure we've had this conversation before."

Gwen didn't answer.

"You have to trust me." Jack explained standing up, a kindly meant signal of superiority. "When the times right you, Ianto, Tosh and Owen can know the truth."

Gwen nodded, trying to understand. "Even about 'Gray'" she inquired.

Jack broke eye contact "Yes" he agreed begrudgingly.

"But as to what we're fighting for, "he turned back to her with his trademark grin, his white teeth glowing in the near darkness "surly you don't need me to answer that.

They hugged, forgiving each other.

Then they heard the shots. Gwen saw Jack stiffen as he heard Ianto shout in pain.

"Jack, this is Owen." The Medics calls came though crackly as Owen was running.

"Are you guys alright?" Jack asked concerned.

"I'm fine but Ianto's just got cut on the arm. And Tosh's hurt her leg."

"Owen, it's only a scratch." Gwen could hear Toshiko reproach Owen, but Tosh was secretly pleased with the concern that he was showing her.

"Try and hold it back. The cavalries coming." Jack ordered.

They ran to join the fray. Gwen got her first sight of the beast, and it took her breath away. Even from the back it was frightening. Its black oily skin was only colourised by patches of blood. Its rifle shaped arms let off sprays of lazars, narrowly missing the Torchwood team. Without hesitation Jack let rip his arsenal. Not only using Ianto's modified lazar but his own Webley, which had appeared from nowhere. Even with Gwen and Jacks added help, they were fast losing the battle. Inni was deceptively fast for his large size.

"Fall Back!" Jack ordered as he saw the look of pain on Toshiko's face as a beam grazed her hip. Jack knew it wouldn't be long before the casualties got worse.


	6. VI

Well done If you sticking till the end. JANTO Is LOVE, I did promise...

Subject To Change VI

They escaped back to the bottom floor. Owen supported Tosh, much to her chagrin.

"Owen, I'm fine, honestly" but her wincing told another story, it betrayed the agony she was in. As well as the cut on the hip, she'd gained others on her legs and arms. Toshiko wasn't the only one; the rest of the team had obtained various injuries and were dog tired.

"Okay, that didn't work." Jack said, as the only one who hadn't been hurt to bad he was trying to jolly the team along.

"Tell me something I don't know." Owen snapped as he checked everyone's wounds.

"There's got to be another way." Gwen gasped collapsing on the floor with Ianto, Owen and Tosh.

"There is." Jack lent against the wall, knowing they wouldn't be happy.

"Anything's better than this." Toshiko panted.

"I've got to get close enough to Inni to get a clear shot."

"How the hell are you going to do that?" Gwen laughed.

Jack took a deep breath and pulled his Webley from its holster.

"One of you has to shoot me. Dump my body for Inni to find. When I wake I'll be close enough to shoot. Risky, but it might just work."

The shouts of distress and rejection that met the plan rang round the room.

"You expect one of us to shoot you! Jack what are you thinking!" Gwen cried.

Jack offered her the gun "It's the only way!"

"Can't be." Gwen shrank away from the weapon like it was poison.

"Owen?" Jack pleaded.

"Not again," Owen whispered, genuinely terrified. "I couldn't do it again."

"Toshiko?" Jack was running out of options.

"Don't expect this of me Jack."

They all turned away, doing anything to look there Captain in the eye.

"Is it really the only way?"

They stared at Ianto as he spoke so quietly from the shadows.

"Yes." Jack said softly, as if it was only him and Ianto in the world. Ianto walked towards Jack and accepted the gun with shaking hands.

"I'll do it."

"Thank you." Jack murmured.

"I can't watch this," Owen got quickly as if disgusted by the sight of the two men. "Tosh? Gwen?" He asked the two women to follow. With a fleeting look back, Gwen followed her team mates.

Ianto sank to the floor; the cold gun seemed to suck the inner strength that had made him to agree to this.

"Hey, come on!" Jack held Ianto's shoulders, his touch stopped Ianto from feeling so wretched.

"What if you stay dead this time?" Ianto asked, his eyes staring deep into Jacks like no one else in the World could.

"I won't." Jack promised, sounding confident.

"No, I can't sir." Ianto tried to give the Webley back.

"Ianto, do this for me." Jack took Ianto's hands in his; folding Ianto's fingers round the gun once more.

Ianto nodded, not trusting himself to speak in case he lost his nerve.

Jack lent forward and kissed Ianto. Their lips only met for a few perfect seconds, but it gave Ianto the courage to pull the trigger. The sound reverberated off the walls. Jack still had his arms round Ianto as he died. Ianto felt Jacks body spasm in pain.

"Thanks." Jack gasped with his last breath before collapsing, limp as a rag doll.


	7. VII

This is in the end is in sight. Alonn-sy!!

Subject To Change VII

"I've done it." Ianto told them. Gwen nearly cried out when she saw her captain's body draped in Ianto's arms. She closed her eyes and nodded curtly "Let's go."

The rest of the team expected her to lead now, and she couldn't let Jack down.

Gwen tried not to look at Jacks broken corpse as Ianto laid it reverently on the ground. She noticed the large red stain down Ianto's smart, well ironed, shirt. Jacks blood she realized with a jolt. Ianto, himself, hadn't spoken, Gwen couldn't believe how calm he was, she had evidently underestimated Torchwoods receptionist.

"You okay Ianto?" She asked delicately. His eyes never left Jack as he nodded. Gwen wondered how many secrets Ianto hid behind his professional façade, she knew him worse than Jack.

There were a hundred things that could go wrong but Gwen felt duty bound to follow Jacks plan. Inni followed them towards Jack with no trouble. It sniffed Jacks body, all its senses all telling it that this was dead meat. Gwen's heart felt like it was in her throat.

"He's been under for two minutes." Ianto whispered, his faithful stopwatch, with the knob on the top, in his hand.

"Why the hell isn't he waking?" Owen hissed.

It picked up Jacks body like he weighed nothing.

"Oh my God!" Gwen was paralyzed with fear as she watched as Inni lifted Jack nearer to its gigantic maw. Ianto leapt out and desperately shot at the beast, frantically doing anything to save Jack. He managed to distract it, but only to make it come towards the rest of the team.

"Excuse me, but I don't like being ignored," Jack called.

The beast roared in frustration and confusion, why didn't its dinner stay dead, before Jack shot it down. Jack stared with no emotion at the large carcass in front of him, his arm still stretched out in front of him holding the gun. For a moment time stood still, the Torchwood team stood like participants in a game of musical statues. Finally, Jack lowered his gun his face breaking out into a grin.

"We thought you were dead!" Gwen whimpered.

"Oh yee of little faith!" Jack chided her with a hug.

"Is that my blood?" he asked Ianto, breaking away from Gwen's embrace and coming over to him.

"I suppose it is sir." Ianto considered it as if it was only a speak of paint "It was good shirt too, fairly traded pure cotton." Ianto moaned.

"I know a good dry cleaner." Owen added "Works on the lab coats."

"How are we going to cover this one up?" Gwen asked as they all walked down the street in the cold night air.

"Leave that to me in the morning." Tosh laughed "I'll think of something."

"It's only half seven." Owen consulted his watch "Not my bedtime yet."

"How about bowling?" Jack smiled.

Gwen groaned "How many aliens have you killed with bowling balls. At least we looked cool with lazars."

Jack laughed; it was hard to believe that he'd been lying dead a while ago. That made Gwen shivers.

"How about dinner?" Toshiko offered "Or a movie?"

"There's a new Mexican just opened." Ianto remembered "We've got leaflets in the tourist information centre, looks good."

"I'm in the mood for fajitas." Gwen added "Sounds great."

"Why not." Jack grinned, liking the idea "You'd better go back and get changed, Ianto." Jack told Ianto.

"I'm sure I've got a spare shirt in The Hub sir." Ianto explained.

"Have you got a tooth brush stashed in The Hub as well?" Jack joked.

"Yes, but you're not to borrow it." Ianto smiled slightly "Not after the state you left my razor in last time."

Gwen's phone rang. She saw Rhys' number pop up. With a smile she answered he fiancé.

"Sure……, I'll be home soon, were just getting something to eat." She gave the rest of the team the thumbs up. "Yes……., see you later………love you too, bye." Gwen terminated the call.

"Meet you all in about half an hour?" Jack asked "I know how long it takes you girl to get your glad rags on."

Toshiko laughed "Sure I'll see you then, Owen could you give me a lift?"

Owen seemed surprised, "That'd be fine." He assured her.

"Thanks" Tosh favoured him with her pretty smile.

Gwen watched as the two of them walked away.

"Do you want a lift back?" Ianto asked jangling the SUV's keys "Jack and I are going back to The Hub together."

Gwen shook her head, it would be better if Jack and Ianto spent the rare occasions they got for being alone for that purpose.

"No I'll walk good exercise and all that."

"See you there." Jack called over his shoulder as he walked back in the direction he and Ianto had parked the SUV. As they disappeared into the distance, Gwen thought maybe she saw Ianto take Jacks hand.

She smiled secretly before making her own way back home. Cardiff's city centre was buzzing with people, living there lives not know about the Rift, that coursed beneath their feet. Or the people of Torchwood, that fought to protect them from danger they couldn't know.

Torchwood was the most beautiful, savage, alien thing in the Universe, and the people involved were warped and shaped by all the evil and magic they had to contend with, but in the end they all were no different from anyone in this crowd. Already Captain Jack Harkness, Owen Harper, Toshiko Sato, Ianto Jones, and herself would only be seen as speks in a huge mass of people. Gwen almost felt like laughing at the part of the Universe only she could see, every day she wanted to know more and more about it, every day something new happened, every day she loved it and every day everything changed.

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The end.

Horray!! Now comment, even if to say it was crap.


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